We share a commitment to the creation of warmth and community, to non-doctrinaire, egalitarian approaches to Judaism without sacrificing tradition, and to a welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, and lifestyles.

Who We Are

Kehilat Chaverim means "community of friends." Comprising about 80 households in Greater Hartford, CT, Kehilat Chaverim was established in 1978 to find new ways to explore and express Jewish identity that is independent of synagogue affiliation.

Our guiding principles

Our Guiding Principles are embodied in our bylaws:

To enable the expression of Jewish identity independent of affiliation with a synagogue.

To create a sense of community and extended family.

To respect and encourage diverse viewpoints and patterns of Jewish observance and non-observance.

To share in the exploration and learning of Jewish identity, tradition, culture, history and celebration.

To accept and support diverse lifestyles and living arrangements.

To work for, support and encourage a peaceful, free and just United States, Israel, and world.

To be mutually responsible for the direction of the group.

To have equal participation of women and men and to eliminate sexism from all aspects of group activity.

To have transliteration and translation of the Hebrew language used during services to enable participation in services regardless of knowledge of Hebrew.

To eliminate any financial barriers to participation in Kehilat Chaverim.